The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-08-26
"From whom did the order to pa,

"Colez, Garcia & CO..
"Oolez, Garcia & Co.," repeated Sa-
legria, referring to his note book "the
great American traders. And you sus-
pect no one y
'No one except the man who passed
the note"
The detective and the inspector en-.
tered the house. After looking over
the kitcheo and buxom widows bed
room without making any discovery,
the two went to the captains bedroom.
Everything of moment was carefully
examined.
A pair of boots lying in the corner
of the room finally attracted the detec.
tive's attention. Something in the lin
ing of one of them seemed to interest
him, for he again referred to his pock-
et-book. Having finished his examina-
tion of the bedroom the detective went
down. stairs, taking one of the boots
with him and inspecting each stair as
he descended. These we're apparently
more satisfactory, for his smile bright.
ened considerably, and after he had
been shown the traces of blood along
the floor of the sitting-room it had ex-
panded into broad grin.
He walked to the table and turned
over the books and papers till he found
some sheets of blotting- paper. These
he examined attentively, holding them
up to the light and turning them in
every possible direction. The result
seemed satisfactory, for he pocketed
them.
"And now about the captain" said
the detective, choosing the clearest
footprint he could find in the soft mud.
and pulling the boot out of his pocket.
"His name is Rodriguez, you say.
What is he captain of ?"
"Nothing that l know of, but they
do say that he has been captain in
the China trade
"What sort of a man is he?"
"Tall, spare-built, about 40, gray
hair, and no whiskers.'
"Deep cut over the right eyebrow,
added the detective quietly, as he
stopped and fitted the boot which he
had taken from the captains room into
the impression in the mud.
"Yes," said the inspector, puzzled al
the detectives knowledge.
"He never went by that name here
did he?" asked the detective handing
the boot to the inspector, on the lining
of which was written ga. Perez"
"Never."
He was getting more aud more puz
zled.
"Perez, alias Cova, alias Delgardo
and now alias Rodriguez I've wanted
him these three years. said the detec
tive cheerfully. "Ive got him now.
"Yes," said the inspector, grimly
"hes safe enough over there"
And he jerked his thumb toward th'
river.
"Bless you," said the detective, che
nearer America by this time. Hell
die in his boots or with the rope aroun'
his neck Don't you see the fellow ha
murdered himself and bolted with tn
swag? When l found that boot
thought how it was, aud this settle'
it," said the detective, pulling tn
sheets of blotting paper out of hi
pocket and holding them to the inspect
or. There, all over them, were tn
words Colez, Garcia & Co., in neat
clerk-l like hand, with that peculia
flourish at the end which those VIII
had dealings with that eminent hous
knew so we'll. "That letter to the vii
lage bank is forgery it's not tn
first time he has served Colez, Garci
81 Co. this trick. He was in thei
American house five years; came t
them with forged character, robbie
them to the tune of 1922, 900 and bolted
He's been smuggling and thieving a
over the world since then. But
must be off. / wouldn't miss him 70
anything"
The detective was right. The vi
lage bank found to its astonishmen
that Colez, Garcia & Co. repudiate
the letter which purported to bear thei
signature. 1t was forgery. Som
days later the captain was arreste
just as he was in the act of booking hi
passage for New York. Subsequent
he was tried in the village court i
Oposura, ard, under the name of Roc
riquez, was sentenced to penal serv
tude for the term of his natural life.